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Don Cheney

PSE Reference Chart (UPDATED August 2017)

December 26, 2017December 26, 2017 by Don Cheney

This post was originally from 2015 but has been updated to reflect the NEW PSE Reference Chart: One of the major problems regarding PSEs is answering the question, “Where is it written?” This question is asked by members, stewards, officers, management, and even arbitrators. Unfortunately, “where it’s written” is spread throughout various sources, including the … Read more

Categories Clerk Business, General Union Business, User Submitted Tags Industrial Relations Department, Postal Support Employees, PSE chart, PSE reference chart, steward resources, “Where is it written?” Leave a comment

The Impact of Shrinking Office Sizes

September 6, 2016August 10, 2016 by Don Cheney

Most Level 22 post offices and below have dropped below the 100 man-year threshold in this contract. Attached is the official list. That brings into play the Article 1.6.B Global Settlement. It says that supervisors may perform bargaining unit work when it is listed in their position description. There is only one supervisor position that … Read more

Categories General Union Business, User Submitted Leave a comment

The Two-Tier Workforce Began in 1975

July 5, 2016July 5, 2016 by Don Cheney

The two-tier workforce began in 1975 when 90-day casuals were booted out of the APWU bargaining unit. It was a self-defeating move. It is now hard to justify having different wages, benefits and work rules for one merged bargaining unit. The APWU contract today is a nightmarish mishmash for someone new. First Name: Don Last … Read more

Categories General Union Business, User Submitted Tags casuals, PSE, two-tier workforce Leave a comment

Postal Supervisors Wanted – Career Employees May Not Apply

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016 by Don Cheney

The Postal Service website – Search USPS Jobs – is restricting applicants for twelve EAS-17 supervisor positions to noncareer employees: Click here. Five positions are Supervisor Customer Services and seven are Supervisor Distribution Operations. Their full-time salaries begin at $47,814. Each says career postal employees may not apply. I wonder why. Is career postal service … Read more

Categories General Union Business, User Submitted Tags career postal employees, EAS-17 supervisor positions, job postings, non career, USPS Jobs 1 Comment

Medicare is Not the Answer for Postal Reform

June 25, 2016June 24, 2016 by Don Cheney

The 2016 Medicare Trustees Report says that Medicare is expected to go bankrupt in 12 years. Projected costs are forecast to exceed income, depleting the Medicare trust fund by 2028. These projections are based on current law. Adding postal retirees will drain the Medicare trust fund quicker. This means future Medicare beneficiaries are facing hefty … Read more

Categories General Union Business, Postal Reform and Politics, Retiree Business, User Submitted Tags 2016 Medicare Trustees Report, APWU retirees, Medicare, Medicare Part B, postal reform legislation, Postal Retirees 2 Comments

Health Insurance Special Enrollment Period for PSEs and RCAs

May 6, 2016May 5, 2016 by Don Cheney

The Postal Service has announced on Liteblue that all PSEs and non-career rural carriers (except ARCs) can enroll in the USPS Non-Career Employee Health Benefits Plan during the Special Enrollment Period that runs from May 16, 2016 to June 30, 2016. It will be effective July 9, 2016. CCAs and MHAs are not eligible. I’ve … Read more

Categories General Union Business, User Submitted Tags APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan, health insurance premiums, healthcare, PS Form 3119, PSE, RCA, Special Enrollment Period, United Healthcare, USPS Non-Career Employee Health Benefits Plan Leave a comment

Union Access to Employees’ Phone Numbers and Email Addresses

January 24, 2016January 22, 2016 by Don Cheney

The Postal Service keeps employees’ phone numbers and email addresses in a Privacy Act system of records called General Personnel Records (USPS 100.000). The Privacy Act authorizes disclosure from this system “for routine uses.” Routine uses are defined as disclosures that are compatible with the purpose for which the information was collected, in other words, … Read more

Categories General Union Business, User Submitted Tags employee’s phone number, Personnel Records, Privacy Act Leave a comment

Handbook M-5 Schemes (1980) is Obsolete

January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 by Don Cheney

Scheme training in the USPS changed greatly in 1983 due to a lawsuit filed by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor in Donovan v. United States Postal Service, Civil Action No. 78-0602. See NY Times: Postal Employees Win $400 Million Numerous Postal Service handbooks and manuals had to be revised … Read more

Categories Clerk Business, General Union Business, User Submitted Tags Handbook M-5 Schemes, Handbook P-402T, Scheme Training Leave a comment
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